Ore-concentrator



(No Model.)

G. D.JSTONESTREET..

ORB GONGBNTRATOR.

No. 365,279. Patented June 21, 1887.

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NITED STATES PATENT @ii-FFICE.

GEORGE D. STONESTBEET, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, ASSIGNOB, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO BEGINALD STONESTREET AND THOMAS E. SMITHS FORK, TENNESSEE.

ENLOE, BOTH OF NASHVILLE, AND VARREN SMITH, OF

ORE-CONCENTRATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,279, dated .Tune 21| 1887.

Application filed January 16, 1886. Serial No. 189,759. (No molleLi To all whom it may conce/1n:

Be it known that I, GEORGE DAVID STONE- sTREE'r, asubj ect of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Birminghal'n, in the county of Jef- 5 fel-son and State ofAlabanm, haveinvenied cer- Jtain new and useful Improvements in Ore-Goncentrators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a l'ull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled io in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in ore-conecntrators.

The object is to provide a concentrator which I5 will effectually agitate the material fed into engagement therewith, and which shall be capable of the nicest adjustment for preventing waste in the treatment of material of different specific gravities.

2o A further object is to provide a simple, in-

expensive, and effective concentrator suitable for all grades ofwork.

Vith these ends in view my invention consistsin certain features of construction, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of the coneentrator with the distributcr removed. Fig. 2. is a vertical ecntral section of same with the distributer in position, and Fig. 3 is a detached end view of one oftheknife-holding armswith knife in position.

A represents a suitable supporting-frame,the bottom of which is provided with an annular 3 5 groove adapted to receive and form a seat for the annular groove or recess C, formed at the periphery of the bottom of the pan B. The pan B is preferably provided with outwardlyliaring sides, and its bottom gradually rises .to from its periphery toward the center, where it is provided with a funnel-shaped outlet, M. An upright shaft, S, is located centrally within the funnel-shaped outlet M, its lower end being seated in a suitable bearing on the step N. The

shaftS extends upwardly above the top of the pan B, and has secured rigidly thereto the knifesupporting arms D'and the distributerE. The knife-supporting arms D are preferably eight in number and radiate at equal distances apart Vfrom tire shaftS at points ashort distance above 5o the highest portion of the bottom of the pau.

To the arms D are seen red the vertical knives K, as shown in detail, Fig. 3, the said figure representing an enlarged end view of one of the arms D with the kni-fe in position for use.

The arm may be constructed in skeleton form, with its upper andlower edges projecting laterally therefrom, or it may be provided at proper intervals with laterally-extending lugs or ears. 6 a

Through corresponding perforations 1n the edges of the arm or in the lugs or ears the stems Lof the knives I( extend with a loose iit, and by means of a draw-bolt, liz', one end of which embraces the stem k and the opposite end of which extends through the body of the arm, and anut, k2, on the threaded end of the bolt, the knife K may be locked to the arm in the desired vertical or angular adjustment.

The knives are attached to the arms in such 7o positions as to form, when considered collectively, a spiral. (Designated by the dotted line 2, Fig. l.)

The distributer E consists, essentially, of an inverted funnel extending Vfrom the mouth of the feed-hopper H to the ends of the arms D, over or slightly beyond the groove or recess G in the bottom of the pan.

The distributor is conveniently secured to the ends of the arms and to the shaft at its 8o apex, and is thereby caused to rotate simultancously with the shaft.

The neck of the feed-hopper H is provided with openings R, through which the material fed into the mouth of the hopper passes out onto S5 the distributer, and is by the rotary motion thereof evenly distributed around the side of the pan B, where it falls into contact, to a greater or less extent, with the mercury,which is supposed to lill the recess or groove G, and 9o the lighter portions of the crushed ore and waste, together with such portions of the ore as have not come into contact with the mercury, tend to pass thence with the waste toward the outlet M. The general movement of the mass not held by the mercury toward the outlet M is caused by the strong current due to the weight of the material, which is eontinually fed tothe machine, and to the stirring et the knives, which constantly sets in that direction.

To prevent the too rapid ad Vance of the waste toward the outlet M, which would be liable to carry along with it more orless ofthe valuable ore, and also to thoroughly eut up the bunches of waste and ore and prevent the paeking of sand, the spiral line of knives K is set at sueh an angle to their paths of travel that they will throw the material outwardly 4and obstruct its travel toward the outlet. In general, they should be set at an angle of about v forty-five degrees to their path; but they may be adjusted to any desired angle, and those near the outer ends of the arms may have a greater or lesser angle than those nearer the outlet, therebyinsuring the proper rate of advance ofthe material toward the outlet to btain the best results.

The shaft Sis conveniently rotated by means of a bevel gear-wheel, J, secured 'to its upper end in engagement with a bevel gear-piuion,G,

secured on a horizontal shaft, F, the latter being provided with a band -pulley or gearwheel, P.

The pan B is provided with a sluice-gate, T, for drawing off the mercury when it is desired to separate the ore therefrom.

Instead of constructing the knives and distributor to rotate, the pan might be made to rotate andthe knives remain stationary, thereby producing a similar effect upon the material treated; but such 'eonstruetion is not deemed the better. .y

I am aware that stirring-knives have heretofore been secured to rotating arms in spiral form, and that a conical or funnel shaped distributer has been used in connection therewith, and also that stirring-paddles have been set obliquel y to their path of travel, and I do not therefore claim such Construction, broadly;l

braces the stem of the knifebetween the`j iianges, the bolt extending through the body of the arm, whereby the knife is locked to theV arm in the desired vertical and angular adjustment, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE D. sToNnsTREur. -V'Vitnessem O. E. DUFFY, S. BRAsnEAns. 

